Image from http://stephrobbins.com
Walking Towards Jesus
From 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:10: we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says, "At an acceptable time I have listened to you, and on a day of salvation I have helped you." See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation! We are putting no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see—we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
Reconciliation. What a wonderful word when it is lived out. We have all been at that place where we have been estranged from someone; sometimes we even forgot the reason why we no longer talk or even acknowledge their existence. But when we reconcile the joy and freedom that comes with it is so worth the effort. Remember back when you were estranged from God. Jesus came to make that right, and there was that moment when you said, "Yes, Lord, I do want You and I want to be in a relationship with You." That was reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ. That is also salvation. We were saved from a life of sin and despair to the fullness of life, a life lived with meaning and purpose. Lent is that time when we remember that and tell others about it. We should live our lives as Paul and his followers who lived blameless lives, nothing could be pointed at and said, "Aha, but look at how you're living!" Those followers did not let anything get in the way of that blameless life, not afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger. Instead, purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; all came together as a weapon of love and righteousness. Attitudes were changed and life was made even more glorious.
Take the first step. Reconcile with God. Tell somebody about it. The journey is best traveled with others joining us.
PRAYER: LORD, I take this first step and invite You into my heart again. Let me walk with You and towards God. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
P.S. I've started a 40 photos for Lent blog. You can see the first one here: http://40lentphotos.blogspot.com/2015/02/announce.html
Prayer Request: Mr. Daryl Edwards of Goliad, TX, was filling in at our church Fannin Street UMC. He died while preaching at a funeral two days ago. He died unexpectedly, and leaves a great void in the ministry of that church, and of course, in his family. His funeral will be Saturday. Please pray for his widow, Gladys, and for his family and the church family of Fannin Street.
